


The First Time

by roshytsunami



Series: Thor/Bruce Week 2018 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Incredible Hulk (2008), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 09:57:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15531756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roshytsunami/pseuds/roshytsunami
Summary: Part of Thor/Bruce 2018 Week Prompt First TimeThor wooing him? Ridiculous he would know, wouldn't he?





	The First Time

Bruce doesn’t know when it happened but he’s having feelings again. Good feelings, not the typical angst woe is me feelings but good feelings that feel warm and cuddly like a kitten. He spots Thor waving at him.

“Or maybe a golden retriever feeling?”

He laughs to himself watching Thor disappear back into the main room. Tony was throwing one of famous Stark Raving Mad parties. It was all for charity and brighter minds. Tony had immense guilt. Guilt that ate him alive every night. Nightmares that couldn’t be calmed by distractions or the latest new innovative thinking. Bruce had seen him self-destruct. It wasn’t a pretty sight.

He wasn’t himself when these instances happened and none of the team knew about these instances to help him. Tony was solitary that way and good at hiding his issues from everyone he cared for. Not even Rhodey or Pepper could see him at his darkest side. Bruce could tell by the too fine wrinkles around his eyes. Crow marks some would tease along with the bag under his eyes.

“Long night working Stark.”

“All night long if I have anything to do with it. Which of course I do,” he laughs taking a sip from a non-alcoholic beverage. It’s something he was trying to stay away from for Pepper.

Bruce just shakes his head watching the fake interaction and wonders when Tony will ever show his real self to his own team. He doubts he can do that in front of these sharks at the event, but he still places that perfect whitening smile in front of the most daring tasks the Avengers face. It’s unnerving some days but who is he to call out someone’s coping mechanisms. Hell, he can’t even count how many times he’s tried to off himself because it got a little rough.

He sighs and adjusts his tie one last time and places his glasses on his face before venturing out into the sea of money hoarding elites Tony calls his pocket friends.

Bruce walks through the crowd keeping his head down and forcing a small smile on his face as he continues through the crowd. He can feel his heart hammering inside his chest. More than twenty years later and his social anxiety still hasn’t gone away. It’s like an unwanted stubborn wart that can’t be frozen off. And it’s just plain annoying.

He makes eye contact with a few people feeling sweat roll down his back before he’s at the mini bar. He despises alcohol reminds him too much of his father but any place he can hide away from people is welcome…even if it is a mini bar. At least the bar looks festive. The bartender is dressed as the mad hatter. Hopefully, he won’t be as mad as he is pretending to be or mad like how his dad was around drinks.

“And lose that thought Banner,” he says to himself making the person next to him raise an eyebrow at him before huffing and leaving.

Bruce rolls his eyes and asks for a mojito no alcohol so basically cucumber and mint water. The bartender takes his time making the order or Bruce feels the time is passing slowly. He taps his fingers under the lip of bar table anxious hearing all the voices wash over him. He hopes he doesn’t have to make an official appearance and can leave in an hour or two. Maybe he can leave after his drink. He’s tempted to chug the thing and be gone but he wants to support Tony. And maybe he wants to see a certain blonde headed individual.

It’s not like he would have a chance with him, but he is very easy to talk to. He’s been really easy to talk to since the whole alien planet explosion event.

He begins to fidget with his sleeves needing something in his hands to play with until he gets his drink. He gives an awkward smile at the bartender when his drink is slid towards him. The bartender doesn’t care and moves on to the next customer. Bruce shrugs and sips on his drink and nods his head. He taps his glass with his fingers. It feels like all those other social parties with people. Horrible. He feels the hairs on his neck rise to attention and turns around.

“Bruce didn’t know you were one for parties,” answers Natasha smoothly leaning on the bar.

He looks over at her and smiles, “have to make an appearance.”

He sighs looking at the stunning woman. Of course, Natasha would be beautiful in anything she wore but the bold statement she’s making now with the red dress hugging her body along with the off-white golden clutch. He could mistake her for an actress.

Her red lips turn upwards, “who said,” she asked pushing her red hair back. “Was it someone with golden hair?”

Bruce chuckles and sips his drink, “maybe. He’s been growing on me like a fungus. The whole Skaar event-” he pauses. He takes another sip of his drink and has the decency to look ashamed. “Natasha I…”

Natasha purrs, “Bruce I told you before we both were looking for something that wasn’t there. Two broken pieces don’t make a match. Besides, I rather have you as my friend. You’re the only sensible one out of the lot I don’t have to worry about getting hurt.“

Bruce shrugs, “I guess…I still feel bad. I thought it was more, but I guess we both got into it for the wrong reasons…I’m really glad you didn’t decapitate me as soon as I came back.” He gives her a half smile.

"Hmm next time I’ll fix that and live up to my name,” she sighs looking at the crowd. “Bruce, can I be as honest as a spy can with a friend?”

“Uh sure go for it,” he laughs.

“Thor wants your company. Can you please give him an answer already and stop all this pinning.”

Bruce nearly spits his drink out, “What?”

“Bruce, I know it’s difficult for smarter people like you, but he’s been pinning for weeks.”

“Pinning Thor…. over me,” he laughs. “Natasha, I don’t think-”

“I have years of experience in determining what a person is thinking may be thinking or is planning to do to someone. Thor is pinning for you. Solve it.” She says before walking away to mingle leaving Bruce confused.

Bruce sits there at the bar pondering what Natasha meant. He understood the words and knew what she was saying but Thor pinning for him? Ridiculous Thor is a god a literal god in all aspects why would he want to have anything to do with him?

So, Bruce ponders more on the statement losing himself to his thoughts. The best way to figure it out is logically meaning what has Thor done for him that would make Natasha think he is pinning for him? What has he done that annoys Natasha enough to tell him? Has he been that oblivious?

He sighs thinking. “Natasha has to be confused,” he mumbles to himself.  
Thor and he had been closer than they were before the team first came together. That’s for sure but living on an alien planet for two years as the other guy and finally having a human connection with the first person you see well that makes sense doesn’t it? Thor had seen him first after those first two years of being in limbo inside his own head.

Valkyrie had made an appearance too and she even thought they knew each other. Thankfully those holes were filled in on their adventure back to earth. Valkyrie was one of the few who wasn’t scared of Hulk which was surprising considering what they had done.

Still, it’s not enough to make him think Thor is pinning after him. What else has happened? It’s difficult to remember since his memory seems to be foggier lately. He blames the sudden visual and auditory stimulations of when he comes back as Bruce. The switch has become more difficult over the years.

Oh, Thor came to the labs when Tony and him were experimenting either for a new cause or for improvement in Avenger technology. Tony flirted with Thor ruthlessly. It was a habit. Tony loved Pepper, but some habits were harder to break than others. Plus, Tony was only teasing Thor. Yes, he remembers Thor blushing when Tony mentioned his name but still Tony could have whispered something lewd to make the Asgardian blush to the root of his hair.

He sips on his non-alcoholic mojito reviewing more memories of Thor and him together more or less. Thor talked to him more but that was more bonding over there trauma after his home planet blew up. He had no way to relate to losing his planet except by what Stars Wars Leia had taught him which was don’t do it or you’ll suffer the consequences. But he was only giving Thor a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes Thor was worse than Tony when it came to hiding his emotions. He could display such kindness and hopefulness in his face and given he was called at some point by Loki the golden child it made sense.

Golden locks and sparkling blue eyes typical fantasy hero. Still, he had seen those eyes turn gray or grow wet when talking about his brother. He never would understand their relationship about being stabbed and something about a snake, but he supposed siblings fought like they did. He wouldn’t know he never had a sibling except for Jen and well Jen was years younger than him and a cousin, but it might be the same thing.

Thor also had been inviting him to events like this. It started off slowly at first with simple I need you there Bruce or I might lose it and Bruce was willing to be that supportive friend for him. He knew Thor would need the help and so what if it made him break out into a sweat or caused him to as the millennials say, “use up a lot of spoons”. It helped Thor and he liked to help Thor, Thor had helped him when they were lost in space. He could have left him or made him become the Hulk even when he said no.

He rubs his head getting a migraine it’s all too much to take in just because he had been a decent friend to Thor he was pinning on him? Why it’s what any decent person would do. Any of the Avengers could have lent a hand out to him.

He feels a soft tap on his shoulder and turns around and looks up seeing Thor.

“Oh, hello Thor,” he says giving him a half smile as the man sits beside him on one of the stools. Thor smiles down at him.

“It seems a spider had been spreading rumors?”

“Rumors? Oh right,” he laughs nervously. “Sorry lost in thoughts-”

“I know the feeling. I lose myself when thinking about you,” he says bluntly.

Holy shit!

Thor sure knew how to not beat around the bush. Bruce wasn’t prepared for that knowledge. He has the decency to choke on his drink face turning red from lack of oxygen. Thor pats him on the back as he spits up his drink and tries to get his breathing under control. Damn, he’s an idiot.

“S-sorry can you explain?”

“I have been trying to woo you or interest you in dating. Have you not noticed?”

Bruce blinks at him glasses making him appear more owlish than necessary. He squeaks out a soft, “no.”

“But I have been trying my hardest. Hmm perhaps that is why Natasha advised me to just tell you,” he says stroking his beard.

The fuck is going on. The fuck is his life right now why. Bruce clenches his hands around the glass and laughs. “I…um yeah I don’t know.”

Thor tilts his head like the adorable golden retriever he is on the inside confused. “You do not wish to date? Is it because my golden locks have been cut,” he asks pouting.

Bruce sets the glass down and raises his hands up in defense giving him a litany of reasons of why it’s not his hair. Thor just smirks in amusement.

“You…you were teasing?”

“Of course. I have tried to make it obvious by spending more time with you and getting involved in your interests. On another note that experiment you were doing with Tony that acted like the Wardenblurg.”

“The spectrometer for cleaner water?”

“Yes, that. I think it’s brilliant and that in turn you are brilliant, but I doubt you need to hear that Dr. 7 Ph.D.’s,” he smiles.

“Thor, I need,” he pauses thinking of all the incidences he has with Thor since being back on earth.

Oh…oooooh. It’s all clicking into place. I mean he even did a you’re all screwed now when he landed on earth and killed Thanos. That could have had the same vibe as my boyfriend is going to kick your ass.

He feels his cheeks heating up and looks up at Thor dazzling Thor with his perfect smile, missing eye, and buzzed cut hair. Oh no, he’s hot and it took him this long to figure that out. Well, it does make sense considering how oblivious to relationship cues he can be.

He wants to say something anything to stop the awkward silence before Thor thinks he’s too crazy or too broken to have a relationship with him. He’s over forty and what’s Thor twenty-something? How do you convert Asgardian age into Earth years? Gosh, that’s another issue besides the big green issue that’s urging him to just say anything to blondie. He means to say something like yes or wow Thor I agree.

Instead, he blurts out.

“I’m ace.”

Fuck why’d he say that?

“Ace?”

"I um,” he twiddles his fingers nervously. “It’s an earth thing I guess? It means sex is out the window? I didn’t get the urge before and with Hulk, it’s kind of my excuse instead of telling someone I’m ace. Oh no my heart rate would get too high darn I guess sex is out,” he laughs nervously.

He royally screwed this up. He glances up at Thor and feels his lips press against his and doesn’t know what to do but lean into the scratchy kiss. No doubt he’ll have a beard burn across his lips after this encounter and wow can Thor kiss.

Thor pulls back smiling, “Kisses and hugs still good?”

“…mmm huh uh yeah…yeah,” he says brain malfunctioning. He can’t even string a sentence together let alone a thought.

“Good I enjoy your brain more. My brother…my brother always said I enjoyed smarter individuals since I was lacking a brain. May I kiss you again?”

Bruce answers by sliding off the stool and standing on his tip toes to kiss Thor. Thor chuckles and leans his head down capturing his lips. He rubs his thumb over Bruce’s cheek before sneaking his hand into Bruce’s. “Let’s leave. I know you don’t like events like this too much.”

Bruce smiles nodding his hand as he squeezes Thor’s hand back in agreement and leaves with him.


End file.
